Welcome friends! Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting NatashaInOz.com. Why don't you get yourself a nice cup of tea and relax for a while!

I have also been helping Master A (who would like to be known as Big Al from now on...part of his new Blog persona!) with some physiotherapy on his arm after fracturing his Ulna (click here if you would like to read about his injury!) and I have been helping Miss M (who would now like to be known as Maddy as part of her Blog persona!) study for exams and prepare for her final debate of the year.
I don't know about you but when I am feeling stressed and I need to relax, I listen to some music and head to the kitchen...not to eat but to bake and cook! Yesterday I decided to make some cookies, but not just any old cookies....
I made Chocolate Uglies!
I know the name of these cookies is a bit Undesirable but my family will Unequivocally agree with me that these cookies are Delicious! To make these Ugly cookies you will need one stick or 115 grams or 8 tablespoons of butter, 200 grams or 8 oz of dark chocolate, 50 grams or 2 oz of chopped unsweetened chocolate and 1cup of white chocolate chips.
You will also need 3 eggs,3/4 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 11/2 cups of self-rising flour (or you can use plain flour and add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder) and a pinch of salt.
First set your oven to 350F or 180C and line 3 baking trays with baking paper. In the top part of a double boiler, over hot, not simmering, water, melt the butter with the chocolate. Remove from heat, and let stand until tepid, about 10 minutes. You can also take the quick option and melt them very slowly on low heat in the microwave...that is how I did it!
Using a hand-held mixer set at high speed, beat the eggs and sugar for about 2 minutes, until light and foamy.
Beat in the vanilla and chocolate mixture, just until blended. Stir in the flour, baking powder if you are using it and salt. Then stir in the white choc chips.
Now, at this stage you might be looking at this runny batter and panicking-don't! It is meant to be a bit runny. Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough about 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets for a fudgy and flat cookie, or refrigerate the dough for a couple hours for a puffier cookie that doesn't spread as much.
I added some sprinkles to some...to make the uglies a bit prettier!
Bake the cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes or until they’re slightly cracked. The cookie needs to remain soft and gooey inside.
The whole family loved these cookies!
I love this recipe and I know that my family will want me to make these again! I also loved singing along to some of my favourite songs as I cooked. One song I love to play when I need to lift my spirits is "Up" by Shania Twain.
When everything is goin' wrong
Don't worry, it won't last for long
Yeah, it's all gonna come around
Don't go let it get you down
You gotta keep on holding on

I Hope your day is fabulous and thanks again for spending time with me today-I love it when friends drop by!
Best wishes,
Natasha In Oz
If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do. Lucille Ball.
I love Shania..thanks! Those uglies look yummy to me...think I'll make some, I need some too!~ Come say hi :D
ReplyDeleteI think these would cure anything that was ever wrong with me! I am drooling! YUMMY!
ReplyDeleteDarling post!
Enjoy!
Cathy
The name of the cookies in itself is enough to get me to try them. And thanks for printing the conversion measurements. I'll let you know how they turn out. My 10-year-old is always Up for a baking adventure!
ReplyDeleteNatasha,
ReplyDeleteYum! These look good! Tomorrow is the last day of school and these would be a great treat!!
Maddie checked out your Maddy's blog and loved it! She is happy to follow along with her :)
Wendy
How could something so "ugly" taste so good? They look like a big family pleaser, so I must give them a try.
ReplyDeleteThanks for such great instructions and photos!
Debi
Oh, I think these look Yummy not Ugly. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the recipe. ~ Sarah
Don't forget to take time out for yourself Natasha. You'll be lookig forward tot he holidays no doubt.
ReplyDeleteI wish I found cooking relaxing but I don't, I find it a huge stress:-( You're ugly cookies look so yummy.
Angex
To me they look yummy :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.etsy.com/shop/lorenabr
Natasha, the Ugly Cookies look sooo good and it was fun to see your ingredients...which look, by the way, slightly different than what I buy here in the States. Joni
ReplyDeleteThe choicolate uglies look delicious! And I an a Shania fan! Hope things get better at your house soon.
ReplyDeleteyum yum, I would loved some of those cookies!!! :D Like your header a lot by the way.
ReplyDeleteHope you will have a wonderful day!
Best
~Masy xxx
Ugly or not; at least they are made of chocolate so I would eat them!
ReplyDeleteI'm all over the concept of ugly cookies! Yum!
ReplyDeleteYummy! These sound delicious. Thanks for the tutorial, if I had seen that thin batter I would have thought I messed it up. I guess cookies are like people, it's what is on the inside that counts :) Nice choice for U. Kathy
ReplyDeleteYummo; those ugly cookies look so yummy. I love chewy biscuits. And with white chocolate hiding inside ... mmmm dangerous!
ReplyDeleteLoving Bil and Maddy's blogs! What clever kids you have :)
Natasha, you have always so great recipes. I will try to make this cookies and be sure, mine will turn ut relly ugly. But I am satisfied if they taste like your look.
ReplyDeleteGreetings, Johanna
"U" always find a way to make those letters work! Love it. The cookies look like they'd slide down no problem here. :O)
ReplyDeleteHow yummy!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Alphabe-Thursday!
LOLA:)
PS Mine this week is HERE. Hope you can join me!
hope things settle down for you sweet Natasha take 5 min for you love ya and the cookies YUM
ReplyDeleteI'm your newest follower.
ReplyDeleteheather
These look yummy, not ugly at all!!
ReplyDeleteCute post and great photos.
heather
OMG, thos look soooooo yummy. I'm all about trying new cookie recipes!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for following BonBon Rose Girls! I hope you'll follow us at our new site...we went and got our own .com at: http://www.bonbonrosegirls.com/ Plus, we're hosting lots of fabulous giveaways this month to celebrate our move...Right now we've got two $95 hapari swimsuit gift certificates up for grabs! Hugs, K
BIG AL!!! I totally laughed out loud...& then I thought, "I love it!" Super cute :) & I like Maddy too. I already feel like I know them a bit better with a little more of their personalities shining through!
ReplyDeleteNow on to those uglky cookies. I know what I want for my birthday :) I am going to send this link to my little sister the baker with the subject ALL I WANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY...now never mind my birthday is not until December...I know Rach & I will surely recieve a box of these by the end of July if I do it right :) (I am a little stinker I know)
& who doesn't LOVE Shania! My country boy husband won me over to counrty quickly by playing me some country love songs :) Take care Natasha!
your uglies look might tasty!
ReplyDeleteOh those cookies look heavenly! If you need any help finishing them, give me a call.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had some of those ugly cookies right now! I'm having a sweet attack at the moment!
ReplyDelete~angela @ peonypatch
www.mccalled.com/peonypatch
Hi Natasha! What a fun link to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter "U"!
ReplyDeleteI'm not technically sure if I would ever, ever consider any cookie ugly. Beauty is in the tastebuds, I think, and those look scrumptious.
And boy, isn't that a wonderful song?
I love her as an artist.
Thanks for a fun stop today! You are always a pleasure to visit!
A+
What a beautiful ugly cookie. How I would love one right this second. My mouth is watering and I think they look wonderful. yummmmmmmy!!! Thank you for sharing them on the boardwalk Bragfest. I hope to see you again next Wednesday with more ugly food.
ReplyDeleteI can think of all sorts of ills that could be cured by these cookies!
ReplyDeleteWe have to love Shania - a small town girl from Northern Ontario!
What a great song, I've never heard it before. Who the heck cares what the cookie is called it looks delish LOL. I sure wouldn't turn it down.
ReplyDeleteYou know those cookies really are ugly. You shouldn't eat them. If you want, I can take them off your hands so you won't have to look at them any more.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I amaze myself...
It's a pleasure to be your new friend!
ReplyDeleteNatasha,
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping by and commenting. Maddy's blog is great. You've got quite the little blogger on your hands. I will show her blog to my daughter. She'll love it!
heather
Well now, I think these look fab! And I hope you find your five minutes!!!
ReplyDeleteUgly or not, they look soooo yummy and I am going to make them! thank you for sharing your recipe!
ReplyDeleteNatasha, Your cookies sound great! I am feeling a need for chocolate right now...Your photos are well-done. Best wishes to Big Al and Maddy. How special to be "blog persona!" Take care and be sure to take 5 minutes for yourself.
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings, Beth
They sure look good from here in FL.
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Yummmo!! I'll have to try those. Anything with chocolate has my name on it. :)
ReplyDeleteFun post! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThey may be ugly....but the sure look GOOD!
ReplyDeleteThey must be called Ugly cookies so others will think they are unappealing and there is more for you! They look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteChocolate... perfection!
Yvonne
A very belated and long over due visit -- the move is taking up so much time (ugh). What a great post, I love the cookies, they look like such fun! Thanks for hopping along last week, we have a great guest post today too. All the best, Coryanne
ReplyDeleteI love anything that is SUPPOSED to turn out ugly :) ! I love Shania too! I got my mixer yesterday and yes, I am thrilled! Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteGreat U. The ugly cookies look yummy and the pictures of the ingredients really knocked me out.
ReplyDeleteooooh delish cookies Natasha... Know how busy you must have been- my niece from UK has been doing some substitute teaching here in Melbourne over the last few weeks... lots of ill teachers I think! Great weekend to you. x
ReplyDeleteBeauty is in the eye of the beholder.
ReplyDelete:)
ButterYum
Yum! Anything chocolate. We will try these this weekend. Cookies never last long.
ReplyDeleteThose cookies looked so delicious! mmmm
ReplyDeleteI will have to try it sometime!
Have a great weekend!
Brenda
YUM! I didn't think they were too ugly!!!
ReplyDeleteVERY cool...coming back to copy the recipe...thanks :)
ReplyDeleteSusan
I want an ugly. They look delicious.
ReplyDeleteStopping by from SITS.
That just may be the perfect cookie!
ReplyDeleteOMG! tempting pictures of cookies!
ReplyDeleteok this is just not fair it is 9.02 AM and I was starting my diet day so well and now thanks to this brilliant BLOG I WANT chocolate thanks pal lol seriously they look so yummy
ReplyDeleteThese looks yummy to me !!
ReplyDeleteLove ♥RINI♥ the Netherlands
This post was mentioned in my Great Posts I Came Across This Week. Here is a link to my post: http://www.jdaniel4smom.com/2010/06/great-posts-i-came-across-this-week_12.html
ReplyDeleteWhy are they ugly? They look nothing but delicious to me!
ReplyDeleteHi Natasha. I think you might have linked this to Saturday Centus by mistake...but I loved drooling over your cookies again anyway!
ReplyDeleteHappy Saturday!
I also think that they don't look ugly!!!
ReplyDeleteThey look fantastic, I say!! No wonder everybody loves them!!
what am i missing? I don't think they are ugly at all...and i would like a dozen to go please! no, you don't ship international? well, then i will make them very soon :)
ReplyDeleteSunday June 12th, 2010
ReplyDeleteDear Natasha,
Great choice of U-word: ugly! But these ugly cookies look positively yummy!! I almost wrote about the word "ugly" on my U-post, but I just could bring myself to do it! "Photography by KML" has actually done it!
I like your slightly ironic take on "ugly". Thanks for the receipe. Im going to try it!
By the way. I am so late in commenting that you have posted other things: interesting to read about Doris Day and listen to her sing!
Thank you for your kind words on my U-post. I see that you like pink too.
Best wishes,
Anna
For the benefit of other readers:
Anna's U-words
the cookies look PRETTY good to me.......
ReplyDeleteAH! Anything with Chocolate, white or not, can't be remotely UGLY! Glad you decided to post about them :)
ReplyDeleteChocolate Uglies don't look ugly at all and they sound delicious.
ReplyDeleteI've been busy subbing in the US, but it's because it's the end of the school year. The teachers want to use up their days! We're done on 06/23.
Yum... craving cookies!
ReplyDeleteI am now following... feel free to follow back!
All the best,
Kim
It's a yummy vision!!!
ReplyDeleteAnything with the word ugly in the title I love! These cookies look little special little treats.
ReplyDeleteI like this Shania song...never heard it before. We are stuck on Taylor Swift here...over and over and over...